*Laporte Sancerre Rouge 'Les Grandmontains'*

Famed for their white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre's best-kept secret is that the region also produces stunning reds. They're mostly enjoyed locally, and are unfortunately rarely exported outside of France, so when we had an opportunity to feature a fantastic single-vineyard red Sancerre from historic producer Domaine Laporte, we jumped at the chance!

Based in the small village of Saint-Satur, tucked between the foothills of Sancerre itself and the Loire river, Laporte's organically-certified vineyards cover 21 hectares of rolling hillsides. Each plot is vinified separately to capture and express its unique character. The Les Grandmontains vineyard faces south-southwest, providing ample ripeness in the grapes. After harvest, the free-run juice is bled off (a technique called saignée) to make the estate's rosé wines, which allows the red wine to benefit from an increased skin-to-juice ratio, creating more concentrated flavours and aromas. It's a youthful, energetic expression of Pinot Noir that should be served at a cool 16 C and enjoyed over the next 5 years.